Inside The Vikings

Ex-Vikings pass rusher Pat Jones II signs two-year deal with Panthers

Jones follows in D.J. Wonnum's footsteps by signing with Carolina after four years in Minnesota.
Will Ragatz|
Nov 19, 2023; Denver, Colorado, USA; Minnesota Vikings linebacker Pat Jones II (91) reacts against the Denver Broncos in the first half at Empower Field at Mile High.
Nov 19, 2023; Denver, Colorado, USA; Minnesota Vikings linebacker Pat Jones II (91) reacts against the Denver Broncos in the first half at Empower Field at Mile High. | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

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Minnesota Vikings

Former Vikings outside linebacker Pat Jones II is signing a two-year deal worth up to $20 million with the Carolina Panthers, according to multiple reports. FOX's Jordan Schultz was on it first.

Jones follows in the footsteps of D.J. Wonnum, who had a very similar arc through the first five years of his career. Both were middle-round draft picks by the Vikings (Wonnum 117th in 2020, Jones 90th in 2021) who spent their rookie contracts in Minnesota, peaked in their contract year, and then cashed in via Carolina in free agency.

Wonnum had eight sacks in 2023 and got $12.5 million over two years from the Panthers. Jones had seven sacks last season and now seems to be getting even more than Wonnum (though the cap goes up every year and it'll be interesting to see the exact contract terms).

Jones, 26, was the only decent selection in an atrocious third round during Rick Spielman's final draft (the Vikings also took Kellen Mond, Chazz Surratt, and Wyatt Davis in that round). He had 12 sacks and 22 total tackles for loss in 57 games for the Vikings, starting five of them. Jones played 634 defensive snaps in 2023 and then 459 last season, when he missed a couple games due to injury. He also played on special teams.

The Vikings were always very unlikely to be in on Jones. Their top three outside linebackers are Jonathan Greenard, Andrew Van Ginkel, and ascending second-year player Dallas Turner, with fellow 2024 rookies Gabriel Murphy and Bo Richter next in line as depth. They could still add to that room this offseason, but they weren't going to give a sizable contract to Jones.

Jones joins Sam Darnold, Camryn Bynum, Nick Mullens, and Johnny Mundt as Vikings free agents to agree to deals with new teams on Monday.

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Will Ragatz
WILL RAGATZ

Will Ragatz is a senior writer for Vikings On SI, who also covers the Twins, Timberwolves, Gophers, and other Minnesota teams. He is a credentialed Minnesota Vikings beat reporter, covering the team extensively at practices, games and throughout the NFL draft and free agency period. Ragatz attended Northwestern University, where he studied at the prestigious Medill School of Journalism. During his time as a student, he covered Northwestern Wildcats football and basketball for SB Nation’s Inside NU, eventually serving as co-editor-in-chief in his junior year. In the fall of 2018, Will interned in Sports Illustrated’s newsroom in New York City, where he wrote articles on Major League Baseball, college football, and college basketball for SI.com.

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